AUKUS alliance: Public warms to the big idea of nuclear power

Scott Morrison’s decision to get nuclear submarines has received overwhelming public support amid a surge in positive responses to both nuclear submarines and energy.

Scott Morrison in Canberra on Thursday. Picture: Gary Ramage

Scott Morrison’s decision to get nuclear submarines as part of a new US-UK alliance has received overwhelming public support amid a surge in positive responses to both nuclear submarines and energy.

In six months, public backing for Australia having nuclear submarines has almost doubled from just 38 per cent in March to 73 per cent after the Prime Minister’s announcement of the new deal on Thursday.

Public attitudes towards nuclear energy have also become markedly more positive since March, with support for considering Australian nuclear energy going from just over half in March – 55 per cent – to 70 per cent after the announcement.

Support for both the nuclear submarines and nuclear energy is strongest among Coalition voters, with 87 per cent supporting the submarine deal and 83 per cent backing the idea of considering nuclear energy.

But more than two-thirds of ALP voters also support both proposals, 69 per cent and 72 per cent respectively, according to a Compass poll of 1110 people taken for the Menzies Research Centre on Thursday.

Even Greens supporters are evenly split on both issues, with 49 per cent supporting the nuclear submarines and 51 per cent supporting consideration of nuclear energy with an aim to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr Morrison has ruled out extending the acquisition of the nuclear submarines into a nuclear industry and said one of the reasons for the deal was the latest US nuclear submarines use the same reactor for the life of the boat without need for a nuclear maintenance industry in Australia.

Mr Morrison also said the nuclear submarines would not be the basis for introducing nuclear energy in Australia.

In a formal statement Mr Morrison said the submarines would be built in Adelaide.

“But let me be clear, Australia is not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons or establish a civil nuclear capability,” he said.

Anthony Albanese has committed Labor to continuing with the strategic agreements if elected at the next election.

“The government has made clear the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines will not require a domestic civil nuclear industry, is compatible with the Non-Proliferation Treaty and has ruled out the acquisition of nuclear weapons,” he said.

“We will hold them to these commitments.”